All of my blog posts thus far have been about the work I’m doing at SWDCJC, which is obviously the main reason we’re all here, but I wanted to share more about the supplemental experiences I’ve had throughout the summer that have made DCERP so incredible.
I’ve been to Eastern Market a few times, which has been so fun. I love strolling through all of the sheds and looking at all the vendors. The first time I went with a couple of my friends from Ann Arbor, a vendor gave us all free flowers, which was so kind. It’s amazing how much work is put into facilitating the market every weekend and how the city comes together in this way.
A few weeks ago, I went to see the Mean Girls national tour at the Fisher Theater with Lisa and Edisa, which was such a fun time. They managed to take a cult classic and add another layer through music, creating an upbeat and enjoyable show.
I was so lucky to see Rex Orange County with a friend at the Meadowbrook Amphitheater in Rochester Hills. It was easily one of the best concerts that I’ve ever been to and the energy was just incredible.
I went with Erin to the opening of the new skate park at Chandler Park (Maddie and Jessica’s site!) where Tony Hawk gave a speech. We got to watch some pretty cool skateboarding and eat free food while we’re at it. Such a cool event at Chandler Park!
Caitlin, Erin, and I went to Flamingo Vintage in Southwest Detroit as well, which is a super cool vintage clothing store. I found a really cool pair of vintage Levi’s and a super cute top. The thrifting in Detroit is incredible!
I’ve also had a couple outings with other DCERP fellows to tap into the sweeter side of Detroit. We went to Astoria Pastry Shop and Momento Gelato, which were both absolutely incredible!
A couple weekends ago, Caitlin and I (my carpool buddy) walked around the businesses surrounding Wayne State and got coffee at Avalon International Breads (stellar) and made a stop at Bon Bon Bon to try some gourmet chocolate. It was so fun to explore Detroit with a fellow DCERP member and get to know where we’re staying.
Caitlin and I closed off that weekend with going to the Kite Festival on Belle Isle, which was connected to Chen’s site! We parked at a park near the bridge and then biked over to Belle Isle and flew kites, which was so fun! Came out of that trip with a nasty sunburn, but the fun time was definitely worth it.
The weekend after, DCERP fellows Caitlin, Chen, Jazzmyn, and Erin planned and facilitated a super fun outing to Belle Isle, where we learned about the history of the Island and got to explore the conservatory and aquarium. It was an amazing trip planned by some amazing people!
On Thursday of that week, Erin and I went Downtown to see Encanto at Campus Martius Park, facilitated by Keegan’s site. It was so lovely to watch a movie in green space that’s directly in the middle of Downtown. The Michigan Philharmonic played movie scores before the movie, which was so fun to hear. We had a blast singing along with all the little kids to Encanto.
This past Tuesday, we had another DCERP outing to Mexicantown, which is where I work in Southwest Detroit! It was planned by Olivia, Edisa, Om, Maddie, and Jessica. We had dinner at Xochimilco, learned about a really cool mural, and walked to a place that one of my coworkers at SWDCJC took me to previously called Mangonadas. It was so fun to get an authentic cold treat on a super hot day.
I am so grateful to have had all of these experiences with wonderful people and to be able to take advantage of all that Detroit has to offer. Here’s to more adventures!
Hi Maya,
I loved that you were able to explore Detroit and did a lot of cool things. I was so happy to be able to attend some of the events with you! I did not know your site was near Mexican Town but I hope you got to see some of the murals we did not present 🙂
-Edisa
Hi Maya,
This post makes me super happy to read! It was so nice to think back and remember the experiences we’ve had in Detroit. It has been super fun to see different parts of the city with you. I’m excited to see more places in the next couple weeks!
Hi Maya,
This post was a lot of fun to read! It’s a bit strange to thing that the summer’s almost over, but when you really look back on it, we’ve done a lot. I’m really glad I got to spend some of the summer with you, and with everyone in DCERP.
Aw, this post is so sweet! You’ve really made the most out of the past few weeks- here’s to a great last 2 weeks, roomie! 🙂